The Book of Dreams and Ghosts eBook

Meanwhile, on 18th September, Lady Hillsborough’s
agent lay with armed men at Hinton, and, making no
discovery, offered 50 pounds (increased by Mr. Ricketts
to 100 pounds) for the apprehension of the persons
who caused the noises. The reward was never
claimed. On 8th March, 1772, Camis wrote:
“I am very sorry that we cannot find out the
reason of the noise”; at other dates he mentions
sporadic noises heard by his mother and another woman,
including “the murmur”. A year after
Mrs. Ricketts left a family named Lawrence took the
house, and, according to old Lucy Camis, in 1818,
Mr. Lawrence very properly threatened to dismiss any
servant who spoke of the disturbances. The result
of this sensible course was that the Lawrences left
suddenly, at the end of the year—­and the
house was pulled down. Some old political papers
of the Great Rebellion, and a monkey’s skull,
not exhibited to any anatomist, are said to have been
discovered under the floor of the lobby, or of one
of the rooms. Mrs. Ricketts adds sadly, “The
unbelief of Chancellor Hoadley went nearest my heart,”
as he had previously a high opinion of her veracity.
The Bishop of St. Asaph was incredulous, “on
the ground that such means were unworthy of the Deity
to employ”.

Probably a modern bishop would say that there were
no noises at all, that every one who heard the sounds
was under the influence of “suggestion,”
caused first in Mrs. Ricketts’ own mind by vague
tales of a gentleman in drab seen by the servants.

The contagion, to be sure, also reached two distinguished
captains in the navy, but not till one of them was
told about disturbances which had not previously disturbed
him. If this explanation be true, it casts an
unusual light on the human imagination. Physical
science has lately invented a new theory. Disturbances
of this kind are perhaps “seismic,”—­caused
by earthquakes! (See Professor Milne, in The Times,
21st June, 1897.)